Let’s face it.  It’s hard to keep the kids busy at the end of the school year.  Their minds are focused on getting out of school and where they might go for summer break.  So, harness that mental energy with a fun summer vacation creative writing assignment that gives them a moment to practice their persuasive paragraph writing techniques one last time in your classroom.  Read to the end to find a fun way for the children to present their writing!

Prompt:  You are given the task of persuading your family to take you on a summer vacation destination of your choice.  This must be convincing, so outline your ideas before you start.  Your outline should consist of three very convincing reasons why you should get your way, which does not include weak phrases like, “It would be fun.”   Remember the elements of persuasive writing:  Begin with your opinion on where the family should travel, follow each of three reasons with an explanation, and end with a ”call to action” ( telling them what to do in a creative way).  Make sure you include descriptive writing using a thesaurus for higher-level vocabulary.  Check your spelling, be convincing, and don’t use “please, please, please” in your writing.  No begging allowed!

Teacher:  When the students are ready to present their essays to the class, have them bring in props, food, music, and/or dress as they would at their favorite travel destination.  Students, of course, are free to give their essay to their parents/grandparents as a ‘hint’.  Children love this project so much, you’ll be sure to keep it for next year’s end-of-school writing prompt, as well!

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